Little Enda - an iPhone Update

Well, our puppy is adjusting quite nicely to life with the Sassers. Loves people, loves to cuddle, loves to play, loves her walks, loooooooves her feline sisters.  She's no angel, though!  I would think she's reaching her "toddler years", because some days she can be really terrible.  It reminds me of a poem my Mother used to tell me (probably NOT about me):  when she was good, she was very, very good; but when she was bad she was horrid.  Yep, that's our little gal!

A few pictures of our growing Vizsla, captured on the iPhone! (Hence, not the best quality, but more "action" shots.)

Look at the difference 4 weeks makes!  The one on the left is at 8 weeks, her first day home and scared in the corner.  The one on the right is at 12+ weeks...making herself at home on the patio cushions we forgot to put up.

She's been to the vet twice now, and everyone just loves our little Vizsla baby!

Saturdays are usually busy, because we have "puppy hour" in the AM and then visit with canine friends in the PM.  This weekend, our Rodesian Ridgeback friend, Dash, came to play with tolerate Enda.  ("Puppy Hour" is an activity put on by our local Doggie Daycare, where puppies under 16 weeks can come play together/socialize in a safe environment.  It. Is. CHAOTIC.  But, it tires her out for at least 3 hours so it's totally worth it.)

And, finally, she is finally doing better on her walks!  We don't quite have "heel" down, but she's much better on a leash and can walk for a couple of miles at a leisurely pace (i.e. at a pace where she can still smell things, piddle every 5 minutes, and try to chase after squirrels and birds).  Today at our neighborhood duck pond, she came up on ducks/geese for the first time.  In true bird dog fashion, she demonstrated a perfect, inherited point.  Dad was so proud!

Ah, our puppy is growing up.  Somedays I think, not fast enough.... :)

Faux Fried - Nearly as Good

Not to toot my own horn, but I'm a pretty good eater.  I try to load up on the good stuff, stay away from the bad stuff, and eat a wide variety of things. I'm not ashamed to admit I fall for the latest health craze de jour (Greek yogurt, quinoa, kale, 'meatless Mondays'), and try to force these things on my husband.  (Usually an epic fail, as that boy could eat a chicken breast and sauteed spinach every single day for the rest of his life and be happy....I would be on a hunger strike by Day 2.)

However, I'm not one of those people who lie and say I don't loooooooove some really bad things, namely fried things.  Something about crispy, juicy, and greasy that can enhance the taste of anything under that breading. I mean, for crying out loud, I am from Texas - we're the people who fry up steak like a chicken!  (I can't tell you how many times I've had to justify chicken fried steak to my Yankee friends...please, is that concept so hard to get on board with?)

Craving something fried for weeks, I broke down this weekend and tried a Faux Fried Chicken recipe that looked halfway decent.  And - success!  Thought I'd share in case people are having similar cravings....

"Fried" Chicken Recipe - from Women's Health Magazine

Ingredients
1 cup 2% Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp hot sauce
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp pepper, divided
8 small chicken drumsticks, skin removed
2 cups crisped rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies
2 cups (2 oz) baked potato chips
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Olive-oil cooking spray

1. Whisk yogurt, mustard, maple syrup, hot sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup and refrigerate. Place drumsticks in a glass baking dish or plastic bag. Add yogurt mixture and toss drumsticks to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2. Combine cereal and potato chips in a food processor and process until finely ground. Transfer to a pie plate and add paprika, garlic powder, and remaining salt and pepper.

3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove chicken from marinade and dip into breading, pressing firmly on all sides. Arrange drumsticks on a foil-lined baking sheet and spray for 2 seconds with olive-oil cooking spray. Bake until crisp and golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS. Per serving: 340 cal, 6 g fat (2 g sat), 34 g carbs, 720 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 34 g protein

PREP TIME: 45 minutes
COOKING TIME: 40 minutes

This. Was. Good.  Now, I did not have baked potato chips (because I don't believe "baked" is how God intended - I am a chip snob and will run an extra few miles a week so I can eat my full-fat chips.)  I did have reduced fat Cap Cod chips in Harvest Cheddar flavor, and, boy, that was yummy.   Hubby also approved!  It's a keeper, folks.

Easter Dinner 2012

A little late, but we did have a fabulous Easter and I thought it would be nice to document (albeit 2 weeks late).  Ah, always a step behind...this seems to be my MO lately!

After early service at church (big pat on the back to myself for making the 8:30 service!), I spent a lot of the morning in the kitchen.  Actually, I spent most of Saturday in the kitchen, which made Sunday much more enjoyable.  James also appreciated it, as his wife did not turn into "crazy hostess" like she sometimes does without proper planning.  :)

Just a few pictures to remember the lovely day that we spent with James' mom, aunt, brothers, cousins, and nephews, celebrating the risen Lord!

Family Picture!

Tablescape

Lemon Raspberry Coffee Cake

Yum...

It's not Easter without deviled eggs!

A little bit of Texas

Even though it's been nearly a month since my wonderful birthday celebration, I felt the need to document the cute birthday package that my parents put together for me.  It actually arrived a few days before their surprise visit, but fortunately I had followed instructions and not opened yet.

Just like my party, it was TEXAS THEMED.  Some of my favorite things from Texas all within one box.  Those two were very dedicated to collecting the contents, hitting up some of my favorite places in Austin (The Co-op, Central Market) and in Waco (HEB, Baylor) to find this stuff.  So creative, and some items was just plain funny.  Below is just a snippet of what was inside:

First, we upped our supply of some of the best BBQ rubs and sauces to come out of Texas. This may seem like a lot, but we go through a lot in our house.   This does not represent all the bottles in the box, mind you.  The local wildflower honey is already nearly gone...

After the sauces came the salsas.  This bottle was my favorite, because it basically represents everything that I stand for... :) 

Next came the UT paraphernalia.  Again, this is only a sample!  They even stuck in a Daily Texas that they picked up on campus.  So cute.

I'm probably the only person in Atlanta that has paper goods from HEB.  If you come to my house and need to blow your nose, your tissue will come out of a box with bluebonnet prints.  Those are staples in the Sasser house.  Fortunately, Mother and Daddy stocked me up on tissues along with other goodies from HEB:  Yellow Rose paper plates, a soft-sided Texas cooler, HEB bathroom spray (in Texas Wildflower scent - my favorite....)

This cutting board deserved a picture all by itself. When I'm chopping up my veggies, I can reminiscence about all the wonderful things in my State.

I have no idea where they found this plaque (I think it is the top of an old cigar or liquor box?), but it cracked me up beyond belief.  James is not thrilled that I have left this up in our kitchen, but it just speaks volumes!!

And, finally, some other miscellaneous items that Mother thinks I need to keep in the house:  plastic cups from the Baylor basketball games, the Wacoan magazine, and (for my honey) a Bush's styrofoam cup - his favorite.  

This was such a fun package to open (especially in front of my parents who spent so much time putting it together!)  I love those guys...they know me too well. 

Newest Addition...

We all know I love my kitties.  The girls bring a lot of joy to my life.  They cuddle, they are low maintenance, they looooooove their mama.   They have never quite grown on James (or vice versa, little Lupe HATES her Daddy.)   My husband is a dog person, and has wanted a dog for as long as we've been together.  Obviously this was impossible with our former lifestyle.   Both of us being gone 4+ days a week would NOT have worked for a canine.

As soon as I got my new job in December and started the work-from-home gig, my husband was hankering for a dog.  He was researching, calling breeders, coming up with names...all while assuring me that we wouldn't immediately jump into this commitment.  I guess he wore me down after a few months, because a little over a week ago our little precious bundle of fur arrived...via Delta, no less!

This furbaby is a Vizsla, which is not a very common breed (although we see more and more now that we have one).  I like to describe her as a red Weimaraner, but she'll be a little smaller (around 50 lbs).  They are nicknamed "Velcro Dogs" because they loooooove to be with their people.  Case in point: at the vet last week, a full grown adult Vizsla was in the waiting room...and she was sitting in her owner's lap.  Definitely a sweet breed, and one reason we were drawn to her.  They are also excellent hunters, but I think the only things this little girl will be hunting in Peachtree Hills are the squirrels.  (Her daddy believes she already shows great hunting agility at 10 weeks, so, we'll see....)  Despite the fact that they are "high energy" (i.e. hyper), all the Vizsla owners we have talked to said they would never get another type of dog.  That has to say something!

Day 1 as a Sasser

The furbaby does have a name:  Enda.  It's Irish and stands for "bird" or "birdlike".  Seeing as she is a birddog, we found it appropriate.  (She shouldn't be confused with the current Prime Minister of Ireland, Enda Kenny.  He is neither a bird nor a female.  Some of my Irish friends have assured me Enda is a gender neutral name.  Other Irish friends have pointed out it's more of a masculine name, but that the NY Times referred to their PM as a female, so obviously Americas are dense enough to believe it's feminine.)

She has been a HANDFUL.  Between hollering in her crate, mouthing, needing to potty every 30 minutes, getting up in the middle of the night....whew, she's exhausting!  But, I realize this is just puppyhood and she will (hopefully soon) grow out of all this.  Can't wait to get that little stinker in some serious obedience classes. :)

Despite the lack of sleep and having to walk around the house with Oxyclean in hand, we love this little gal and are happy Enda joined our family!  Now, if only Lupe and Carmen agreed...

"I love to roll around in mondo grass - so fun and smelly!" 

Displaying early pointing skills - Daddy is so proud!